1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communications terminal and, more particularly, to a multi-download structure and methods of downloading information to mobile communications terminals.
2. Background of the Related Art
When a mobile communications terminal such as a cellular telephone is first put into service, a variety of information is downloaded into the telephone prior to delivering it to a customer. Some of the information, such as operating software, is downloaded at the manufacturing facility. Other information, such as information specific to the area in which the telephone will be used, is downloaded at a customer service center where the telephone is being sold.
FIG. 1 illustrates an overall downloading structure of a mobile communications terminal (referred to as a ‘terminal’, hereinafter) in accordance with the background art. The hardware structure used for a downloading operation of the background art has only one terminal 20 connected to one personal computer 10, due to the stability limitations of a download program. The terminal 20 is connected to a line trans 30 through a curl code cable, and the line trans 30 is connected to a serial port of the personal computer 10 through an RS-232C cable.
To download information from the personal computer 10 to the terminal 20, a downloading program is prepared for each terminal model. Or, alternatively, one download executing means (a user download executing program) checks a version of the connected terminal and then executes the downloading. The downloading operation will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A user turns on the power of personal computer 10 and power supply unit 40 to display a main screen of a download executing means. When a download start button is selected on the main screen by the user, as shown in FIG. 2, the download executing means checks a serial port of personal computer 10 that is connected to terminal 20. This serial port is checked in accordance with a timer (step S1). Then, the download executing means reads a version identifier of the terminal to recognize the model of the terminal (step S2). After the model is identified, the download executing means performs two or three downloading operations using a thread method (step S3). For example, these downloading operations may include a binary (BIN) download, a script (SCR) download, a preferred roaming list (PRL) download, and a personal information memory (PIM) download.
As shown in FIG. 3, user data is first read before the download operation is executed (step S10). After the download execution is set (step S20), an execution software (SW) of terminal 20 is deleted (step S30), and a new execution SW for terminal 20 is stored (step S40). After the new execution SW is completely stored, the previously read user data is re-written into terminal 20 (step S50).
Notably, in some background art download software structures, a separate download executing means (program) is created for each terminal model. Alternatively, one downloading executing means (program) capable of interacting with multiple terminal models is created, and this download executing means performs a version check of the terminal to determine how to interact with the terminal.
Accordingly, the download executing means is specifically developed for a distribution place. If the download executing means makes a mistake in identifying a version of the terminal, the downloading operation is inevitably faulty.
In addition, since an abbreviated icon provided on the main screen of the download executing means is fixedly set, it is impossible to set a desired item through an external download term input unit.
Moreover, when downloading is executed, only a single port is supported by the downloading execution means for downloading information to terminal 20. Thereby, productivity and working efficiency of the terminal are degraded. Since the download executing means executes two or three download programs using the thread method, the download executing means is overloaded.